Abstract

Augenblick, meaning literally 'In the blink of an eye', describes a 'decisive moment' in time that is fleeting, yet momentously eventful and incredibly significant. In this book, Koral Ward investigates the development of the concept into one of the core ideas in Western existential philosophy, alongside such concepts as anxiety and individual freedom. From its inception of this idea in Kierkegaard's works and the writings of Jaspers and Heidegger, Ward draws on a vast array of sources beyond just the standard figures of 19th and 20th century Continental philosophy, finding ideas and examples in photography, cinema, music, art, and the modern novel.